The death of Joey Jordison in 2021 robbed the metal world of one of its most powerful advocates and, more importantly, one of its most fearless musical voices. This was not how things were supposed to turn out. Joey had already changed heavy music beyond measure, most notably with Slipknot, and after having been unceremoniously ejected from all-conquering Iowans, his next chapter promised to be fascinating.
Forged in the ashes of Scar The Martyr, who released one self-titled album in 2013, Vimic was plainly the drummer’s most commercially viable, post-Slipknot project. Not content with giving death metal a jolting kick up the arse via Frederic Leclerq’s Sinsaenum, Joey was also aiming for greater heights with a band that boasted members of Strapping Young Lad, Darkest Hour and Bad Wolves, alongside untested vocalist Kalen Chase.
The only problem seemed to be that Vimic’s debut album proved to be hellishly difficult to complete.
Numerous release dates came and went. Rumours circulated that Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine had been brought in to “rescue” the record. A handful of songs were released, with accompanying videos, but the
public response was mixed, and Open Your Omen went from being hotly anticipated to emitting a faint whiff of calamity. Again, this was not how things were supposed to turn out.
Joey Jordison died four years ago, but his reputation and legacy remain assuredly unfuckwithable. His family have secured the rights to finally release Open Your Omen, and to give everyone an opportunity to
speculate about what might have been. Vimic may not endure much beyond this point, for obvious reasons, but these songs clearly deserve to see the light of day. Despite its vexed reputation, Open Your Omen is actually pretty fucking good.
The first thing that hits is the sound. An album that has gone through several incarnations, mixes and moments of thwarted glory, Open Your Omen sounds tremendous, with a beefy, crystal-clear sound that strikes the perfect balance between mainstream metal power and something more adventurous.
Roughly divided between songs that clearly want to smash our faces in, and razor-sharp, melodic cuts that, in more pleasant circumstances, had vast commercial potential, it is an obvious extension of the varied and vital songwriting that Joey brought
to Slipknot, but with plenty of its own character too.
The heaviest moments are the most impactful: lithe, snotty and resistant to being pigeonholed, the likes of Simple Skeletons and She Sees Everything are full of artful grooves, Joey’s formidably urgent drumming and Kalen Chase’s passionate roar. The overtly tuneful material – In Your Shadow, Save Yourself, My Fate – suggests a slight split personality, but have more than enough charm to stomp all over the alternative rock realm.
In between, I Fear The Worst and Empty Handed hedge their bets between those two dynamics, sounding close to Slipknot’s Vol. 3 era in
spirit, but with a slicker, more streamlined feel. It is all much sharper and more sonically robust than expected, and would have been the perfect starting point for a lengthy, fruitful career. Joey departed way
before his time, but his music lives on, and Open Your Omen is an essential part of his story.
Open Your Omen is out October 3. Vimic play LA's Teragram Ballroom on October 3 with support from Wednesday 13. Tickets are on sale now.
